February 25, 2026 Verista Announces Michael Laferrera as CEO

Verista names seasoned healthcare and pharma services leader as CEO to drive strategic growth, innovation, and operational excellence.

Verista, a leading provider of automation, compliance, and quality solutions for the life sciences industry, announces the appointment of Michael J. Laferrera as Chief Executive Officer, bringing to the role a dynamic and purposeful leadership style shaped by more than 35 years of proven success in the competitive healthcare industry. Laferrera is recognized for driving growth, innovation, and profitability as well as leading transformative change across both the pharmaceutical and pharma services sectors.

Throughout his career, Laferrera has developed deep expertise in corporate strategy, mergers and acquisitions, organizational transformation, and stakeholder engagement, consistently aligning business vision with strong operational execution. He is known for building high-performance executive teams and fostering cultures of excellence and accountability, qualities that will support Verista’s continued expansion and value creation for its clients and stakeholders.

Laferrera most recently spent 17 years at Knipper Health, where he served 13 years as President and 5.5 years as Chief Executive Officer, overseeing all strategic and operational activities. Under his leadership, the company saw incredible growth through strategic acquisitions and organic expansion, increasing enterprise value.

“We are excited to welcome Mike to Verista, where we can leverage his vast industry and leadership experience on our journey for expanded growth in 2026 and beyond,” said Rich Tabarrini, President of Verista.

Earlier in his career, Laferrera held a range of sales and marketing leadership positions within the pharmaceutical industry, building the commercialization and supply chain foundation that has underpinned his success on the pharma services side. Over more than three decades, he became known for leading organizations through inflection points, leveraging change management, digital innovation, and disciplined execution to deliver sustained performance improvements.

As Verista’s new CEO, Laferrera brings a proven track record of strategic vision, enterprise value creation, and private equity partnership, positioning the company to capitalize on new growth opportunities while strengthening operational excellence. His appointment underscores Verista’s commitment to forward-thinking leadership, rigorous performance management, and a culture that rewards collaboration, accountability, and results.

When asked about the appointment, Jeff Kinell, Chairman of the Verista Board of Directors, said, “We are thrilled to welcome Mike to the Verista team. He is the right leader at the right time to guide Verista on its journey to provide innovative solutions to the evolving needs of our customers. He is a seasoned CEO who is passionate about driving customer success and building teams. I’m confident that he’ll be a tremendous addition to the Verista team.

About Verista
Verista is a leading provider of integrated end-to-end compliance, validation, and digital enablement for the Life Sciences. Headquartered in Fishers, Indiana, Verista is a one-stop partner that connects regulatory expectations with technical execution and digital transformation. Leveraging innovative technologies and over 500 industry experts, Verista empowers organizations to deliver safe, high-quality products efficiently. 

For more information on Verista, please visit https://verista.com/.

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